Viva Italia

I'm on a roll, or in this case, a tomato. After hitting the gym for a sweaty cardio session, did I want something light and refreshing to cool me down? No. I wanted something hot, Italian and stick to your ribs good. The best thing about this dish is that it literally includes four ingredients, which create their own sauce. The end result is something so flavorful and hearty that it can only be considered comfort food.


Fagioli all’Uccelletto (Cannellini beans in tomatoes)
Ingredients
- 1 15oz can cannellini beans + bean liquid
- 2 medium vine tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Fresh basil
- S&P, to taste

Instructions
- Chop tomatoes and crush them with your hands a bit to release more liquid.
- Add tomatoes, torn basil and garlic to a non-stick pan. Cook on medium-high for 15-20 minutes or until tomatoes are completely soft and break apart to the touch.
- Add beans + bean liquid and stir (note: I use no salt added beans so I can control the salt in my dishes). Cook for about 5 more minutes, making sure beans still retain their shape. You're looking for the sauce to thicken a bit but for the beans to just warm through. Finish with more torn basil and fresh cracked pepper.


See? Simple. The way food should be.



If I had my way I'd serve it with a giant piece of crusty bread, but alas, I had a side salad with spinach, radicchio, broccoli and balsamic. More nutritious? Yes, but bread it is not.